Top 10 Cheapest Cars to Insure in 2019 - The Short List
Cars and trucks aren’t getting any cheaper, and neither is insurance.
According to analysts at Kelley Blue Book, during April 2019 the estimated average new-vehicle transaction price in the U.S. was nearly $37,000! You can blame added safety features and technology, the proliferation of luxury amenities and more for this ever-growing figure.
If new-vehicle sticker shock isn’t enough to make you convulse, you’ve also got to budget for fuel or electricity, plus maintenance and possible repairs. Oh, and you’re definitely going to need insurance.
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Now, this is one area where you could save significant amounts of cash if you’re smart. As they have for nearly a decade, the website Insure.com has compiled a list of the cheapest vehicles to get insurance for. Supposedly they compared rates in every state of the union for some 3,000 different models and trim levels, shopping prices from six major providers and then averaging them out.
So, what are the best insurance bargains out there? Well, here are 10 of the most affordable 2019-model-year vehicles to insure.
10. Jeep Compass Sport, $1,349
And we start with the Jeep Compass Sport, a handsome off-roadable compact crossover that looks like a baby Grand Cherokee. Insurance for this little mountain goat will supposedly set you back $1,349. Not too shabby. Base price for most-affordable Compass is likewise budget-friendly at 23 grand and change including delivery.
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9. Subaru Forester 2.5i, $1,347
Undercutting that Jeep by a single two-dollar bill – for insurance coverage, of course – is the Subaru Forester 2.5i. Keeping costs down, this Japanese utility vehicle comes with loads of standard equipment including all-wheel drive, the automaker’s EyeSight suite of advanced safety equipment and even unbeatable crash-test scores, all things insurance companies love!
8. Ford Escape S, $1,344
In position No. 8 on this list is the Ford Escape S, the most affordable version of this compact utility vehicle. In this configuration, it comes with a 2.5-liter engine, a phalanx of airbags and not much else. Plan on spending around $1,344 for insurance. Base price is about $25,000 to park one in your garage.
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7. Jeep Renegade Sport, $1,338
Next up, another Jeep! Slightly cheaper to insure than its bigger brother is the diminutive Renegade Sport. According to Insure.com, the average cost of coverage for this petite SUV is $1,338. Grab a front-wheel-drive model with a manual transmission and standard 1.4-liter turbocharged engine and it will set you back about 20 grand.
6. Honda CR-V LX, $1,333
Coming in sixth place is the Honda CR-V LX, the first of three vehicles from the Japanese automaker that made it in this top-10 list. Coverage will cost you around $1,333, one solitary Abraham Lincoln less than the Renegade. Shielding passengers from harm should the unthinkable happen, it’s earned a Top Safety Pick score from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
5. Honda HR-V LX, $1,325
The subcompact Honda HR-V utility vehicle is another insurance bargain, averaging just $1,325 for coverage. Even this entry-level model comes with a flipping and folding second-row Magic Seat plus standard front-wheel drive and a 141-horsepower 1.8-liter engine, all for less than $22,000.
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4. Mazda CX-3 Sport, $1,307
Moving along, in spot No. 4 is the Mazda CX-3 Sport, yet another subcompact crossover. In stripped-down form, it comes with a 148-horsepower engine, front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic gearbox, all for 21-grand and change. The national average to insure this vehicle is a paltry $1,307.
3. Subaru Outback 2.5i, $1,306
But even cheaper than that is the Subaru Outback 2.5i, which clocks in at $1,306. Of course, insurance companies love Subarus because they come with lots of safety equipment and are relatively inexpensive. This base Outback starts around $27,000.
2. Jeep Wrangler Sport, $1,304
Wowzers, a third Jeep! The off-road brand’s Wrangler also made this list, in Sport form. Insurance companies must love these rugged and often fairly bare-bones vehicles. Sturdiness and mechanical simplicity, in theory, keep them out of trouble. Coverage for this flavor of Wrangler averages $1,304. Base price for one is less than $30,000.
1. Honda Odyssey, $1,298
And now for the vehicle that, on average has the lowest insurance rates! Drumroll, please… It’s the Honda Odyssey minivan! Yes, this family hauler will cost you just $1,298 to cover. They say that’s $514 less than the national average of $1,812.
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Interestingly, the Odyssey has always been an insurance bargain. For eight of the 10 years they’ve been compiling this list, it has made it in the top five. And back in 2010 when they started ranking new models this van cost $1,095 to insure, which means over the last nine years the cost has only increased by $203.
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Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).
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